and Hamelman had been baking for years before he became affiliated with KA, so I wouldn't say that you must use KA's flour for his formulas. Just use what is listed, if it's bread flour, use a bread flour of reasonable quality, if it's AP, use AP and so on.

A lot of bakers use KAF AP flour for their breads because it has desirable qualities that meet or exceed other bread flours. Sooner or later, if we are willing to try other flours, whether by necessity or out of curiosity, we all have to learn how to adjust for differences between brands. KAF AP is noted for its consistency in behavior across the country and through the years. People are willing to pay for this consistency and KAF is happy to reap the financial benefits from the trust their customers put in KAF AP.

Other bread book authors have noted their appreciation of KAF flour. Maggie Glezer and Rose Levy Beranbaum are two that come to mind quickly.

U.S. Retail Bread flours are pretty much the same when it comes to protein (11.7% to 12.9%). No so with all purpose flour. It can vary from 8% or 9% protein with soft southern all purpose flour (White Lily, Martha White)and around 10% with Gold Medal and Pillsbury all purpose flour. All the way up to 11.7% and 12% for King Arthur All Purpose and Robin Hood All Purpose flour.

Here's a list I put together of U.S. retail wheat flour typesU.S. WHEAT FLOUR TYPES AND BEST USES:.This is mainly a list of average flour types and brands available a most U.S. supermarkets, and the best use for them. Not a list of specialty, mail order flour. Some of the flour brands may be somewhat regional and some are available pretty much nationwide..Wheat Flour Protein:

-Protein levels range from about 7% in pastry and cake flours to as high as about 15% in high-gluten bread flour.

-Protein percentage indicates the amount of gluten available in the a given flour. Gluten is the substance which develops when the flour protein, which occurs naturally in wheat flour, is combined with liquid and kneaded.

-Because gluten is able to stretch elastically, it is desirable to have a higher gluten flour for yeast-raised products, which have doughs that are stretched extensively; like pizza, most yeast breads, and bagels.

-For cakes, pie crusts, cookies, biscuits, pancakes, waffles and pastry to be short and crumbly or tender, a lower protein flour is better. Also, in higher gluten flours, the gluten can overpower the chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda, causing the final baked goods to not rise as high.

-Hard winter wheat, mainly grown in the north, has a higher protein and more gluten, 10% to 13%. Most northern and national brand all-purpose flours, bread flour and high-gluten flour is made from hard winter wheat.

-Soft summer wheat, mainly grown in the south, has a lower protein and lower gluten, 8% to 10% Most cake, pastry and southern all-purpose flour is made from soft summer wheat.

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